1. Technical Field
This application relates to using a single communication connection for use with managing a system having multiple service processors.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices such as those included in the data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. Multiple data storage systems from one or more different vendors may be connected and may provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system.
A host processor may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host processor may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations.
Host processor systems may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units, logical devices, or logical volumes (LVs). The logical disk units may or may not correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data stored therein.
Different tasks may be performed in connection with a data storage system such as for data storage system management. A data storage system may include two service processors for processing I/O requests as well as management requests. Management requests may be issued from a client system by a user, such as a data storage administrator. Each of the service processors may have its own network address so that an external client can connect to each of the service processors using a different network address. The client may be issuing management requests to a first of the service processors and experience problems in connection with communicating with the first service processor. The user may be unable to use a network connection to communicate with the first service processor. In order to continue performing data storage system management and issue subsequent management requests, the user on the client system may manually take steps to communicate over the network with the remaining second service processor rather than the first service processor. As part of this process, the user must know or otherwise determine the network address of the second service processor. The user may establish a new communication connection to the second service processor using its network address. As part of taking steps to diagnose or correct problems with the first service processor, the user may communicate with the first service processor using a non-network or direct connection, such as a serial line, which may require the user to be in close physical proximity to the data storage system.